FF 1: Unexpected
by andbeyond
Summary: I don't want to be here. I am sick of this. I don't want to see him. Could this day get any worse? I guess I should of never asked that question, because apparently it can. Great, just great.


One moment to my self is all that I want. Is that too much to ask? Apparently it is.

I shuffled my feet across the black floor and closed my eyes for a few moments trying desperately to force all of the clanking, chatter, and chaos out of my range of hearing and my thoughts. I guess that is what I get for telling my mom that I would help her out today. I leaned my head against the back of the chair in my attempt to relax. Once I found comfort in my position I heard footsteps coming my way. All that I wanted to do was to pretend that they were imaginary and I could go back to sleep.

"Loren, I still really need your help."

Dang it. This is real, and I'm still here.

I ran my fingers through my hair, groaned and stood up slowly. My feet and arms ached in exhaustion from moving boxes, speakers, lights, clothes, and many other items needed for tonight. I have been here for an eternity, at least that's what it seems like to me. Sleep would be something that I would really appreciate, but that's not in my current reality.

Right after school my mother called me explaining how she could really use a second pair of hands helping her out, so I drove over and here I am, four hours later covered in sweat and feeling like my body hates me from all of the stress I have been putting it through these past hours. I wiped the dripping sweat off of my forehead and turned my face in the direction of my mothers.

I looked in to her frantic features. I know how stressed she is. Tonight is one of the biggest concerts that she has ever worked backstage for and she has just been designated stage manager just a few days ago, which was not enough time for her to mentally prepare herself for this daunting task which is why I decided to help her out. However now as I glanced over at the stack of speakers that still need to be set up before sound check, I am really regretting it.

I rubbed my eyes and walked over to the complete the task that my mother needed me to do before she asked. I know her so well I can practically read her mind.

Forty five minutes later and all the speakers were hooked up, and finally I was done and I sighed in relief "Hey Lo, there is still one more on the truck." My mom shouted from the opposite end of the arena which caused a slight echo in her voice. Of course there is. I tilted my head back slighted before I turned on my heal and walked to of the arena and to the trailer.

I stood outside lingering there for a few moments, enjoying the warmth of sun of my face and exposed skin. I feel like that I have been trapped in that room for the past three days, because well I pretty much have. I walked down the side walk and around the corner where another one of the crew members handed me the last speaker. I thanked him and began to walk back. I looked over my shoulder enjoying my last few glimpses of the sun before spending another, who knows how long, inside. I squinted my eyes slightly and saw that behind the metal gates people were already lining up, and to my horror I recognized a few of them. They go to my school. I sharply turned my head and made my way back into the arena, I felt my phone buzz but I was too preoccupied to look at it.

No one knows I'm here, and I would like to keep it that way.

Most people my age are thrilled about tonight and if they don't have tickets to see this show they wish that they did. I however am indifferent. Im here for my mom and that's all. I am no way affected that some big rock star is having his homecoming concert here. I know that any other girl in my school would have jumped in the oppurentuny to help out, with the chance that they might run in to him before the show. But I'm different, I pray that I don't.

I unfortentully had the displeasure in meeting Eddie about a year ago when he decided that this is where he wanted to close his first world tour and I still remember it perfectly. I was with my mother who had asked me to come with her for a few minutes because after we needed to run some errands and her boss called and frantically explained to her that something had come up and he could no longer make it to a meeting and needed her to take his spot. She told me that it was just going to be a quick stop, which it was, it was also rude though. They were late, both him and his manager. Once he stammered into the arena he looked around the stadium for about thirty second he said 'I guess this will do' walked away and back out the door he had just came through moments ago. Once he said this I looked at him in utter disbelief. You guess that it will do? Is place not good enough for you? Well I'm sorry but this is what you are going to have to deal with. It wasn't just what he said it was his tone, his stance, the I'm too cool for you type look, and just everything about him, and ever since then I can't stand him. He didn't even take the time to be considerate about my mother and I taking time out of our day to do this and make sure that he is happy with the space and then he doesn't give a shit. How inconsiderate.

Once I set up the last speaker, and the lights were in place it was finally time for sound check. One problem, the star has still not shown up yet, a reoccurring theme with him no doubt.

"Mom, it's okay." I stated. "Breath."

"No. This is so not okay, he was supposed to be here two hours ago and if we don't do sound check soon then the concert is going to start and nothing will have been tested yet." I looked at her and began match her step as she paced up and down the stage. I have no idea what I should do. This is why I wanted to be here, it was to prevent something like this from happening. A panic attack. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked around the stage, the band was in place and all that were were doing was waiting on him.

Oh skew it.

I made my way over to the mic in the center of the stage. I turned and saw my mom eyeing my curiously. "Sound check it just to make sure that all the equipment is running correctly, right?" I asked and she nodded.

"Alright, then lets get started."

I would normally never do anything like this, but it's for my mom, plus I know everyone here, I have spent about the last week with them, and after tonight I will never see them again. So what is there to loose? I closed my eyes and gripped the microphone in my right hand and closed my eyes. Everyone else must have caught onto where I was going with that because the band began to play behind me. I opened my eyes and saw my mother with a relieved expression on her face.

I don't need to sing one of his songs, all that I need is to sing a song which is good because I really don't like his music. In my opinion he just seems like a larger than life character that doesn't care about anyone other than himself. From what I have seen and heard about him he is no different than any other pop star soaking in their fifteen minutes of hollywood fame.

Just the idea of someone being famous is completely idiotic. What makes that person so special? I know plenty of people who can sing and dance better then the people in the business, so why are they the ones that the public cares about. We choose the famous people because with out the common people they would be no better then us so once we make then famous and they think of themselves above as, or that they live in a different world makes them completely false and egotistic. And that is how Eddie Duran is.

A few days ago I was talking to the band during rehearsal and we were goofing around, I would tell them one song that I liked then they would try to play it off fo their memory. It was something fun that we did to kill time when we were just waiting around, mostly waiting for Eddie, and I told them some of the singers that I actually liked.

Looking over my shoulder I saw eddies drummer wink at me. I rolled my eyes understanding what song they were playing and my vocals rang through the arena. It's a classic, a song that I have grown up with.

Another one bites the dust.

Through out the song I removed the mic from the stand and started to walk around the stage enjoying my self, and once it came it end there was applause from the surrounding works. A few men came over and helped some of their guitar players tune a few of the basic cords and then they doubled checked that everything was plugged in before my mom and a few other men came onto the stage.

"That was good Loren, we tested the lights, if you didn't notice. Now we need to check the piano, so can you sing something more melancholy?"She asked and I smiled. I walked back to the guitar player and told him what song I had thought of. Warrior. I heard it on the radio on the way here earlier this morning. Once I regained my previous position he began playing.

As soon as the song ended there was scattered applause once again expect this time there was a louder, slower clap coming on from the side of the stage. It grew louder and louder as the person behind it came closer to me. Once his face was illuminated from the white stage, I recognized him instantly.

"It's about time you showed up." I stated tilting my head to the right and eyeing him curiously. He smiled sweetly, showing off his perfectly white teeth and said with his rock star charm.

"Yeah, I guess that it is or else you might have taken my job."

I didn't say anything to this. I rolled my eyes and turned on my heal, walking off stage. Does he think that he can charm himself into forgiveness? Well that wont work on me buddy. For me forgiveness is earned not given out because you are 'famous'. The rest of the sound check went fine and they fixed all of the little bugs or issues that came up randomally. Once they finished Eddie had to get dressed for the show, and I finally had some time to rest.

Backstage there is a room with about five sofas where people can hangout whenever they are not needed and I decided that this would be the perfect place for me. I walked into the room and it was fairly empty with a few working resting their eyes for a few minutes. I pulled my phone out and looked at the message I received earlier. It was from Mel.

_Hey girl, what are you up to?_

I smiled to myself and replied with a simple nothing much. I then closed my eyes for a few minutes, but it may have been longer, I wasn't really keeping track of time. My eyes shot open that the touch of someones hand on my shoulder. I sharply sat up and turned around to face them. It was Eddie.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "You didn't scare me." I stated.

"Right." He stated and smirked at me slightly. "Hey im sorry about being late, but once I got off of the plane where there were fans there and I had to talk to them, or else it would have looked bad." I scoffed at his reasoning, he had to, he didn't want to but he had to. That makes me livid that he doesn't realized that he does all these types of things that normal people like me can never dream of. And he says he has to how about you get to?

"What? What did I do?" He asked puzzled.

"Nothing." I stated coldly. I stood up from the sofa and turned to leave the room. "Hey wait up a second." He called from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned my head, looking over my shoulder. "Don't you have something else you need to be doing?" I asked bitterly, turned on my heal and walked out of the room to find my mother. I want to leave.

After about twenty minutes of searching I found my mother in the sound booth trying to understand what ever the problem was. I walked in and stood in the corner of the cramped room, keeping to myself. Once my mother had a free moment, I asked if I was still need here, or if I could go home because I have a pre calc test that I should be studying for. To my disappointment, she gave me another list of things to do for her. Oh well I guess that studying will just have to be put off. I dragged my feet against the dark floor as I made my way back to stage right.

I put a headset on, found a stool in the corner at sat down. I'm done with this. The concert began thirty minutes later, and I didn't need a watch to tell me when it was time for the concert to begin, the volume increased dramatically. I couldn't even hear myself think. This is insane. Why do people like him? That's something that I will never understand.

To my surprise that show actually went by surprisingly fast. I helped out when I was needed and the other times I stayed in the corner, out of everyone's way. I did notice that when ever Eddie would exit the stage he made an effort to smile or wink at me. Why, I have no idea.

After the show I took a deep breath of relief, collected my things and made my way out to my car. I took my phone out of my bag and looked at the time, it was past midnight. I rubbed my eyes with my hands and found my car. I walked around to the back so I could place my bag in the trunk, and that's when I saw it.

Could this night get any worse?

A flat tire.

I groaned loudly at the sight of it, tilted my head back and cursed. Shit. Shit. Shit. I just want to go home, is that too much to ask? I called my mom but she didn't answer, plus she had already left so she is no help. I walked back to my trunk and lifted up the carpet, reviling the spare tire. I heaved it out and tossed it on the ground, placed it on its side rolling it to the tire in despair. I leaned it against my car and walked to the back again and looked for something to lift my car up. And there is nothing. Crap. I banged my hand on the outside of the driver's door.

I give up.

I sat down on the cold pavement and leaned against the tire. I might as well and all a tow truck. I grabbed my phone and began searching for a company near by. I looked up from my screen and saw someone for the show making there way over to me. Great. I looked back down at my phone and continued my search.

"Do you need any help?"

Of course it's him. I looked up into eddies face, I wanted to say no, but what the hell. I'm stuck in a not so safe neighborhood and I really need to get home. I eyes him suspiciously. "I do know how to change a tire." He added. "That's surprising." I stated, and he just smiled at me. "I'll be right back I have stuff in my tour bus." And he left.

Why is he helping me out? I wouldn't put it past him that the normally doesn't pay attention to the stage managers daughter and one stadium that he is performing at.

After a few minutes he was back with an array of tools that I had no idea what they were. I looked at him sheepishly and mutter a thanks as he used a few tools to lift my car up. "What was that?" he asked smirking as he turned to grab something else. "Thank you." He looked at me once, my eyes locked with his. No matter how much I tried I couldn't suppress a smile. Silence filled the air around us for a few moments and I looked at the ground, attempting to distract myself.

"You have a nice voice by the way." I raised my head slightly showing the puzzled look on my features. "What?" I asked. "Before the show, during sound check." He clarified. I nodded my head understanding. "Thanks, but I know I'm not that good." I stated.

I really don't think that I'm good, I sing just because I like to, not because I think that I am good at it. When I sing I feel like I can become someone else, and just have fun.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked and his question snapped me out of my train of thought. I narrowed my eyes at him, hoping he could see this throughout the darkness. I'm guessing he did because he continued. "I haven't seen someone perform like that in a long time, you look like you were just being yourself, not caring about what anyone around you thought. You were just living in the moment and that is what makes a performer great."

I really didn't know what to say to that.

"I wish I could be more like you." He added.

What? He wants to be more like me, and give up his lavish lifestyle? The idea of that is completely mad, and hearing him say it in unbelievable. I stayed quiet, consumed in my own thoughts. I looked over to the left and saw Eddie switching out the tires, I smirked slightly at the sight of him on the ground with tools around him. He looks normal.

Maybe he isn't too bad after all.

* * *

Author's note:

So I got this idea based off of the FF 1 prompt 'flat tire.' I know that it's not my best work, but I'm under a time crunch with projects. I hope that you understand Loren's sarcasm used throughout the story. Im sorry for not being better about updating my other stories, just be patient with me and they will be up soon! Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! Also sorry for the spelling mistakes, I'm writing fast, so I don't catch everything, but I'll fix it later. Love you all.

Side note- to anyone who was curious, a few days ago I was officially cleared by the doctors so I could start dancing again! Yay! No more concussion! :) Thanks to all the well wishes that were sent my way, they were really sweet!

Dis Clamor: I don't own hollywood heights or the characters, just this plot line!

andbeynod


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